Oliver burns hicks



Patented Dec. 6, |898.

0. B. HICKS.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR TELESCOPE BOXES.

(Application led Jan. 19, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED 4STATES PATENT OEEICE.

OLIVER BURNS HICKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILBUR F. OWENS, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR TELESCOPE-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,552, dated December 6, 1898.

Application led January 19, 1898. Serial No. 667,152. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIvER BURNS Hicks, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Locking Device for Telescope-Boxes, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to extension or telescope cases or boxes used by traveling salesmen, agents, or other persons; and the object of the invention is to provide a new and improved locking device for such telescope cases or boxes which is simple and durable in construction, very eective in operation, and arranged to permit the user to readily extend or reducea the case or box according to the quantity of the contents and to securely lock the parts together.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as Will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a telescope case or box with the improvement applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional front elevation of the improvement.' Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same, and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the same.

The extension or telescope box or case is provided with a lower part A and an upper part B, fitted to slide over the lower part A and forming the cover for the same. The upper part B is provided with a suitable handle C for carrying the case or box about. On the opposite sides of the lower part A of the box are secured, by rivets or other suitable means, the vertically extending ratchetplates D, each formed at its sides with guideiianges D (see Fig. 4) and with a middle portion D2, set forwardly from the inner face of the said flanges, so as to extend a suitable distance from the outer faces of the corresponding side of the part A. b

In the middle portion D2 of each ratchetplate D are formed apertures D3, adapted to be engaged by a bolt G, fitted to slide in a block E, mounted to slide in the guide-flanges D of the ratchet-plate, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 4, the said block E being secured to the attaching-plate F' of a casing F, containing the locking mechanism for fastening the bolt G in position at the time the said bolt engages one of the apertures D3l in the ratchetplate.

The inner end of the bolt G is necked, as at G', and is engaged by the lower forked end of a lever H, having itsfulcrum H on the plate F Within the casing F, as plainly apparent in Fig. 3, and the said lever H is pressed on by a spring I, the free end of which rests on the inside of the casing. A nger-piece J, fulcrumed in the top of the casing F, e11- gages with its free end the upper end of the `lever I-I, so that when the finger-piece .I is

pressed a swinging motion is given to the lever H to draw the bolt G out of engagement with the ratchet-plate D to permit of sliding the part B upor down on the lower part A. Normally the pressure of the spring I on the lever H causes the latter to hold the bolt G in an innermost posit-ion-that is, in engagement with one of the apertures DS--and the said bolt is adapted to be locked in this position by the foot-piece K of a locking-lever y K, fulcrumed at K2 to the plate F of the casing F. The forked end K3 of the locking-lever K is adapted to be engaged by the bit of the key inserted into and mounted to turn in a key-barrel L, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the plate F' and casing F. A tumbler-guard L extends over the said barrel and is slotted to receive one of the recesses of the proper key to permit of turning the latter in the barrel and to bring the bit in engagement with the lever K,fso as to swing the .same and bring the foot-piece K"either.in or out of the path of the bolt G,'so, that the latter is locked or unlocked in its bearing in the block E.

Now when the device is in use and the bolts G of the two locking devices are unlocked by the corresponding levers K and the operator presses the linger-piece and lifts on the casing F then the part B is unlocked from the 'ratchet-plate D on the part A, and the said part B can be lifted olf the part A to give access to the contents of the box. When the box is packed, the part B is passed over the part A as far as it will go, the bolts Gnally snapping into the corresponding apertures in the ratchet-plates to lock the part B in place on the part A. The operator noW uses the keys to shift the locking-levers K and lock the bolts Gr against movement, so as to prevent having a part fitted to slide in the guide of the ratchet-plate, a spring-actuated bolt itted to slide in the casing and to engage the ratchetplate, manual means for withdrawing said bolt, and a key-actuated locking-lever adapted to be interposed between the unauthorized persons from opening the casing.

The lever K is provided with a V-shaped lug K4, adapted to pass over and rest on either side of a similar lug F2, formed on the inside of the plate F'. This arrangement serves to prevent the lever from moving accidentally out of its position.

The device is very simple and durable in construction and is not liable to get out of order. It can be cheaply manufactured and can be readily applied to any one of the extension or telescoping cases referred to.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1.' A telescope-box provided with a ratchetplate, a block slidable in the ratchet-plate, a bolt tted to slide in said block, a springpressed lever engaging said bolt to actuate the same, and a finger-piece for engaging said lever, substantially as shown andV described.

2. A telescope-box provided with a ratchetplate shaped lto form a hollow guide, a casing plate and the casing to prevent Withdrawal of the bolt.

3. A locking device for telescope-boxes, comprising a combined ratchet and guide plate, a casing having a sliding engagement with the guide, a bolt fitted to slide in the casing and adapted to engage the ratchetplate, a spring-pressed lever engaging said bolt to Withdraw it, a finger-piece for actuating said lever and a locking-lever adapted to be actuated by a key and arranged to swing into the path of said bolt to lock the same against Withdrawal.

4. A telescope-box provided with a combined guide and ratchet plate formed in its sides with guide-flanges and having the middle of its back portion offset outwardly from the inner or rear faces of the said flanges, substantially as shown and described.

OLIVER BURNS HICKS. 

